South Centre Supports Civil Society and Research Institutions in the Global South to Raise Awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025
by Viviana Munoz Tellez, Ningxiner Li
The South Centre supported multiple civil society institutions across the Global South to implement targeted awareness raising campaigns on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and commemorate the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025, with funding provided by the United Kingdom Fleming Fund. The selection of campaigns was prioritized based on the quality of the proposals and their implementation in South Centre Member Countries.
The US Bilateral Specimen Sharing Agreement in the Proposed PEPFAR MOUs Would Leave African Countries More Vulnerable in the Next Pandemic
By Nirmalya Syam, Viviana Munoz Tellez
This Policy Brief examines the implications of the United States’ (US) PEPFAR Memorandum of Understanding (PEPFAR MOU) proposed to African countries on the negotiations for a multilateral system for access to pathogens and benefit sharing (PABS) as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Agreement. It recommends that African countries do not accept the MOU provisions on specimen sharing and data access that undermine national sovereignty and calls for a coordinated regional response.
Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance (IPEA): Reflections on the Foundational Documents
By Dr. Viviana Munoz Tellez
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) invited the Quadripartite Organizations to establish an Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance (IPEA) in 2025. The launch of the IPEA is planned for 10 December 2025 during the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The Quadripartite organizations (the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)) released in November 2025 updated draft documents for the IPEA for additional consultation with Member States and stakeholders. The IPEA will constitute a welcome addition to global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) governance, and should be established, starting small and building gradually. Several concerns on the proposed model remain concerning the governance structure, equity in participation, and the independence of the panel. This policy brief provides analysis and recommendations on key issues concerning the draft foundational documents for the IPEA requiring attention.
Africa Region + Egypt, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Group for Equity Lead 80-Country Push for Fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System
At the start of IGWG4, in a remarkable show of unity by developing countries, the Africa Group (AG) and Group for Equity jointly made a statement representing 80 developing countries. This extraordinary demonstration of unity represents a powerful and inspiring moment in global health governance, as this unified bloc is championing equal footing for rapid access to pandemic materials and digital sequence information (DSI) on the one hand, and on the other hand, the ability to rapidly access vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (VTDs), along with accelerated research, knowledge and technology sharing, needed to prevent and respond to pandemics.
Analysis of the European Union Proposal on the Pandemic Agreement Annex dated 17 October 2025
South Centre
This note is prepared to provide South Centre Member States and other developing country delegations with analytical comments on the proposal of the European Union (EU) on the Annex to the Pandemic Agreement, implementing the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) System as established in Article 12. The note begins with general commentary on the proposal, followed by detailed analysis of the EU proposal text, which is marked in red below the transcribed text.
Participation of South Centre Member Countries in the WHO GLASS: Progress and Gaps in AMR Surveillance and Stewardship Efforts
By Dr. Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy
This study highlights antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance challenges in LMICs, focusing on the 55 South Centre Member States’ enrolment in the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS). Despite progress since its 2016 launch, significant gaps persist: only 60 percent of South Centre Member States report AMR surveillance to GLASS, and just 38 percent report antimicrobial use (AMU) data to GLASS. The COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted surveillance activities, with rates declining from 2020-2021 compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. Digital infrastructure, such as mobile reporting tools, cloud-based systems, and interactive dashboards, offers significant opportunities to strengthen AMR surveillance in resource-limited settings. The study recommends a holistic and phased approach for South Centre Member States, including developing integrated national AMR action plans with realistic implementation timelines, investing in laboratory and workforce development, establishing interoperable digital infrastructure, and strengthening regional collaboration mechanisms. By systematically addressing core surveillance challenges while strategically incorporating digital innovations where appropriate, countries can develop resilient monitoring systems that support effective stewardship, protect national populations, and contribute to global health security by preserving antimicrobial effectiveness for future generations.
Implementing Evidence-based Antimicrobial Prescribing to Combat AMR and Strengthen Global Stewardship – The GUIDE Framework in Action
Monday, 17 November 2025, 12:00-13:00 CET/11:00-12:00 UK/06:00-7:00 EDT/15:30-16:30 IST
Join us for the launch of a new evidence-based tool to enhance antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship. Share your feedback to help us strengthen its value and usability for global practice.
The GUIDE Framework for Evidence-based Antibiotic Prescribing
Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship for the Healthcare Workforce
By Dr. Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical threat to global health security, with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in hospitals driving the spread of resistant pathogens. This GUIDE Framework for Evidence-Based Antibiotic Prescribing provides a structured, five-step model designed to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and empower the healthcare workforce to make informed, proportionate prescribing decisions.
South Centre Statement to the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement
3 November 2025
This statement was delivered at the opening of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, third session, on 3 November 2025. The South Centre underscored that the first draft Bureau text helps to kick off text-based negotiations, but it does not meet the requirements for implementation of Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement.
Co-organized by the National Commission on International Trade & Health Studies (NCITHS), Thailand together with the International Trade & Health Programme (ITH), South Centre & other partners
On September 24, 2025, two agreements were announced with generic drug manufacturers in India for the supply of generic lenacapavir at $40 (instead of the original $28,218) per patient per year. However, these generics can only be supplied to the countries included in Gilead’s voluntary license, excluding too many from accessing this price.
The negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System under the WHO Pandemic Agreement: State of Play as of September 2025
By Viviana Munoz Tellez, German Velasquez
The World Health Organization (WHO) Member States adopted a Pandemic Agreement in May 2025 but deferred negotiations on the critical Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System (PABS). Despite the tight timeline, the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) has made minimal progress as of September 2025, with no draft text produced and formal negotiations yet to begin. The PABS system is essential for pandemic equity, balancing rapid pathogen sharing with equitable access to vaccines and treatments. But with the current approach to the IGWG process, without formal negotiations underway, Member States risk failing to finalize the PABS Annex by the March 2026 deadline.
